Now, since the release of SQL Server 2017 and the integration of Anaconda (ie. Python 3.6), we need to know what it takes to successfully install Anaconda on your developer system(s) both Windows and Linux.

Installing Anaconda in Windows

In Windows the installation is simply done through the SQL Server 2017 setup process. During the SQL Server installation process, select the “Machine Learning Services (In-Database)” option and this will automatically install both “R” and *”Anaconda” on your system.

*Note: Installing Anaconda (Python 3.6) will redirect any previous version of Python to version 3.6. So, you may need to manually revert back to use older version.

Installing Anaconda in Linux (Ubuntu)

There are few more steps to complete the installation on *Linux. First, verify which is the latest version available by going to the following link: https://www.continuum.io/downloads

6. Then, you can select the location where Anaconda will be installed. The default is the user home folder.

5. Add the Anacona path to user profile in the “.bashrc” file by answering “Yes” and this will force to open Python on version 3.6.

6. Finally, to activate Anaconda, type the following command:

$ source ~/.bashrc

If you want to use any previous version, then you’ll need to manually type the PythonX.x executable. Try the following commands to open other versions of python previously installed in Ubuntu: python3.5, python2, or python2.7.

*Note: These steps can be applied to WSL Windows 10 Bash.

Using “update-alternatives” Linux Command

You could also setup the “update alternatives” command to swapt between the different versions of Python. This command need to be executed under super-user privilege “sudo su“.

Strangely enough, this error is only on Ubuntu Linux and not Windows installation. So, Python 3.6 will work on Windows to build your scripts to work with SQL Server while Microsoft and/or Anaconda figured this one out.

Configuring Anaconda in SQL Server 2017

This is only available in SQL Server 2017 and SQL Server Management Studio v17 with the feature of integrating Anaconda (Python 3.6) with SQL Server is to be able to execute the python script(s) from SQL Server Stored-Procedure.

The following steps need to be complete to enable SQL Server to execute Python scripts as an external script from SSMS SQL Query or within a stored-procedure.

1. Execute the following T-SQL command:

sp_configure 'external scripts enabled', 1
reconfigure

2. Then, SQL Server Service will need to be restarted for the changes to take place.

Unfortunately, I haven’t been successful to run the SSMS SQL query connected to a SQL Server on Linux. So, apparently there’s still a limitation in Linux.

What with PowerShell!

So the main purpose of integrating Anaconda (Python 3.6) with SQL Server is to be able to execute the script from SQL Server Stored-Procedure. But, one of Anaconda installed packages is ‘tk‘.

The ‘tk‘ package allows you to create GUI application in Python. This opens opens opportunities to develope and integrating some solution with PowerShell. For example, PowerShell v6 Alpha doesn’t have the Out-GridView command available yet.

So, here’s a raw with limited functionality of a python Out-GridView look-a-like. The following sample code will access some data from SQL Server, use PowerShell to manipulate the information, and then use Python ‘tk’ component to display it in a GUI datagrid.

Yes! The SQL Server Management Studio Version 17 is available for download for the purpose of managing the new SQL Server 2017, Azure SQL Databases and Azure SQL Data Warehouse. At the same time this version won’t prevent you from working with older SQL Server such as SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 but there will be some features that won’t work. Please know the limitations!

Now there are a few things, you should be aware. This version depends on Visual Studio 2015 with the update KB3165756 installed. I ended up crashing SSMS when I made the mistake of uninstalling Visual Studio 2015 to make some room for the Visual Studio Preview.

Here’s the SSMS error message that will popup and made my application useless.

But, no worries! In order to correct the issue, I did the following steps:

Apparently, there are strong dependencies in SSMS with Visual Studio 2015.

Now, there are a few changes from previous SSMS Release Candidates in regards with PowerShell SQL Server commands. As the new PowerShell “SQLServer” module is no longer included with SSMS v17. But, you still get the SQLPS module.

The following PowerShell one-liners to check for the modules installed:

1. 09:50am – 11:00am – Working with SQL Server for Linux Cross-platform:
I will be showing the latest build of SQL Server vNext for Linux. Everything you need to install and connect to SQL Server. Then, what tools are available to use from either Linux and Windows. Sample on querying for database information using Python and PowerShell between two environments. This will be a demo intensive session.

2. 11:10am – 12:20pm– Using Windows 10 Bash with PowerShell Open Source:
We’ll be taking a tour into Windows 10 Bash Linux subsystem. I’ll be sharing some tips on how to work with Bash, and the workaround to make PowerShell in side BASH. This is the perfect environment to start learning about Linux while you work in windows. We’ll be take advantage of how-to use cross-platform Open source product(s). All this and more from Windows 10.

3. 01:20pm – 02:30pm– Using PowerShell Open Source across multiple Platforms:
PowerShell is Open Source now! Come see how you could use PowerShell cross-platform between Windows and Linux sharing scripts to assist in admin task automation. I’ll be walking on how to make this work with existing tools. Also, interacting with SQL Server for Linux.

Just to be clear!! You can run PowerShell in SQL Server Management Studio.

Not only you can run PowerShell, but you can create scheduled jobs in SQL Agent to run PowerShell scripts. This has been available since SQL Server 2008 (before R2). And, this is a lot better now, as each version are finally providing more “SQL PowerShell cmdlets” to manage your SQL Server in their *”SQLPS” PowerShell module.

*Note: SQLPS Module was introduce with SQL Server 2008.

Nowadays, Thanks to both Aaron Nelson, Christy LeMaire, and Rob Sewell who have contribute to the success of provide new enhancements to SQL Server PowerShell (SQLPS) cmdlets. Check out their tools:

By the way, DBA Reports is owned by Rob Sewell – @sqldbawithabeard. Great Work!!

So, YES! You can run PowerShell from SQL Server Management Studio.

How to run PowerShell?

You can Right-Click on most of the SQL Server objects under “Object Explorer” and look for “Start PowerShell“.

This will open the PowerShell prompt and you are ready to start your adhoc scripting.

Keep in mind, on the latest version of SQL Server (< 2012), the SQL PowerShell module (SQLPS) is loaded and already available. This will create a SQL Server Drive connecting (in this case) to your local instance installation or whichever instance you’re connecting to.

Notice, in my case, the above image will open a PowerShell prompt and is using PowerShell version 5.1 which is part of my Windows 10. The same will be true on earlier OS version of PowerShell. The “Start PowerShell” will open the current PowerShell version installed on that machine.

Another thing to understand, although you already have a set of available cmdlets to manage your SQL Server, you can still expand and build more script with the use SMO (SQL Server Management Objects). So, the possibilities to build your own solutions are endless.

All SMO .NET assemblies are loaded into your system when installing SSMS.

This is why you rather use the normal PowerShell console and start using the SQLPS module. Keep in mind, that since PowerShell 3.0, all existing installed modules are automatically loaded and ready to use in your PowerShell session.

How do I get SQL PowerShell?

Simple! SQL PowerShell comes included when SQL Server Management Studio(SSMS) is installed. For sometime ago SSMS (SSMS 2012) has been available to install separately (free-of-charge). As a matter of fact, you could install three separate SQL Server Features components without the need of installing SSMS and start scripting against your SQL engine.

Bonus – No need for SSMS GUI nor the SQL Engine

Sometimes there’s no need to install a SQL instance, nor SSMS GUI but only the necessary components installed in order to run and scheduled some SQL PowerShell scripts in Windows Server Task Scheduler. I had this scenario on a **server with no SQL engine but needed to run some scheduled SQL PowerShell scripts. Only 3 components are needed:

– Microsoft® Windows PowerShell Extensions for Microsoft SQL Server® 2016 The Microsoft Windows PowerShell Extensions for SQL Server includes a provider and a set of cmdlets that enable administrators and developers to build PowerShell scripts for managing instances of SQL Server. The SQL Server PowerShell Provider delivers a simple mechanism for navigating SQL Server instances that is similar to file system paths. PowerShell scripts can then use the SQL Server Management Objects to administer the instances. The SQL Server cmdlets support operations such as executing Transact-SQL scripts or evaluating SQL Server policies.

– Microsoft® System CLR Types for Microsoft SQL Server® 2016 The SQL Server System CLR Types package contains the components implementing the geometry, geography, and hierarchy id types in SQL Server. This component can be installed separately from the server to allow client applications to use these types outside of the server.

Filename: X86 and x64 Package (SQLSysClrTypes.msi)

**Note: This can apply to desktop/laptop is you don’t want to install the whole SQL Server CD. As long as, you have remote connection to a SQL Server system, then you just start building scripts. You will save some disk space too.

Description: Just as PowerShell is argued as the main technology for automation in Windows Datacenters Infrastructure, it is equally important in other non-Windows Operating Systems. According to Maximo Trinidad, Windows Administrators have an advantage working with PowerShell just as Linux Administrators have an advantage with Bash / PHP / Python.

Description: Come and learn how to setup and use Bash On Windows 10. Learn the tips and tricks to use PowerShell and Python together. At the same time, there are some differences in working with script files between Bash and Windows systems. We’ll be seen how to use efficiently use Windows apps with Python scripts on Bash. Lots of demo!

Additional Tools in the Horizon

Just an FYI on some tools that recently caught my attention from Jet Brain:

1. PyCharm Community Edition (free) – Python Develoment IDE Tool available for both Windows and Linux.
2. DataGrip – SQL Developer IDE Tools for working with Databases (including SQL Server). Also available for both Windows and Linux.

And, of course, we can’t forget of Microsoft VS Code. This lightweight coding IDE works great in both Windows and Linux:

Join IDERA and Maximo Trinidad as he walks you through how to find and identify errors in your PowerShell script. Do you want to learn how to trap and document error while running PowerShell scripts? This session will cover the use and how to trap errors in your PowerShell script. We’ll be creating simple script providing some scenarios in trapping errors. At the same time, we are going to end up creating an error report.

In this session Maximo will be showing some available tools the DBA can use along with PowerShell. We’ll be integrating Visual Studio with PowerShell and at the same time using IDERA’s PowerShellPlus editor. At the end, we’ll build an SSIS package solution to execute our PowerShell script. It will be packed with interesting thing to do as well as help you accomplish your automation tasks.

In this session you’ll learn the basics on how-to build PowerShell Modules. Previously, we’ve learned how to create functions with Maximo. This is the next step to collect and group together all your existing functions to build a module. Most important, Maximo will show you where the modules should be stored and how to load them.

In this session Maximo will demonstrate the creation of a PowerShell function from a one-liner and/or an existing script file in its basic form. This will show the scripting evolution you’ll experience while building your PowerShell scripting skills. At the same time he will be showing you some existing resources already available at your fingertip.

This webinar is a deep dive on how to create a SQL Server report using PowerShell and SMO. At the same time, you will learn how to create and work with PowerShell objects, scriptblocks, formatting properties, and generating output results. We’ll be looking into creating a report to identify database properties irregularities. This will be a good start to help begin documenting your SQL Server on the network.

2015 – Geek Sync Webcast : PowerShell Essentials using SQL Server SMO

This session will provide the PowerShell essential skills to work with SQL Server Management Objects (well known as SMO). Maximo Trinidad will talk about how-to connect to SQL Server (both Windows and SQL Authentication), working with SMO objects, and showing some PowerShell cmdlets that can assist when building the script(s).

VS Code editor works great and specially when using it in cross-platform environment. So, I decided to try using it connect to one of my SQL Server instance. To configure VS Code editor is simple. Make sure to check my previous blog post for information.

Next we need to look which SQL extension are available. In this case I decided to use “vscode-mssql” extension:

After installing, we need to customized their setting by creating connection(s) to our SQL Server. We do this by opening VS Code “User Preferences” and under “Default Settings.json” we search for the “vscode-mssql” settings to be copied over to our working folder “settings.json” file.

I configure two database connections, which you can choose by pressing Ctrl-Shift-E before it execute the SQL Script.

The result from the SQL Script will be displayed on the right side of the editor.

One thing to notice, on VS Code version 1.5.3, there’s an extension called “vscode-icons” which gives nice file icons to the working files.